Looking back on my ACE experience in Costa Rica, I’m filled with countless memories of new experiences, challenges, and most importantly, gratitude. For two weeks, I stepped out of my comfort zone and into daunting cold showers, scary bugs, and an entirely new way of life. The phrase “change begins at the end of your comfort zone” couldn’t have been more fitting. Aside from surface-level changes, I found myself reevaluating concepts I thought I understood – concepts that Costa Rica takes an entirely different approach to, like the idea of community.
Before this trip, my understanding of community was exclusive, something that you had to earn your way into or prove to be worthy of, like a college, a team, or a club. But the community members in Gandoca showed me that a true community feels more like family. People show up for each other not because of their status or promise but simply because they care. I realized that community service doesn’t always have to be structured or formal but can be in the little things like jumping into a soccer game with people you’ve never met, rearranging your day to toss the volleyball around in a circle with some kids, or having a conversation about your favorite colors with little girls in the most basic Spanish you can manage on the spot. Even though we could only communicate through a very basic conversation in Spanish, the connection was so genuine and unforgettable. These moments taught me the importance of slowing down and making space for casual connection and taught me to let go of the “go, go, go” pace of my daily life. Even with fifteen student-athletes on the program, I saw how powerful it was to spend time together without the distraction of our phones. Bonding over board games, shared meals, and intentional conversations, I enjoyed sharing new experiences together that might not have happened at home.
Going forward, I’m committed to nurturing the community that I already have and to investing in relationships that are yet to come. I want to slow down and spend intentional time with people and make connections a priority, not just an afterthought. My time in Costa Rica taught me that community isn’t something you join, but it’s something you create, moment by moment.